CHAPTER 4

Let me point out here, again, that this Scripture was written to the HEBREWS.
Many of them had come to realize Jesus was God incarnate.

But perhaps SOME of those had never really relinquished spiritual control of their
lives to Jesus as Lord and Master.

This is a very important consideration when studying the book of Hebrews.
AND, it applicable to ALL who profess Jesus.
This letter was written to Jewish people who had come into the Christian belief,
and were being harassed, and even persecuted.
((((I wrote a short book concerning the SECURITY of the believer.
Eternal salvation is ONLY applied when a person has GENUINELY repented and surrendered
their life over to Jesus as LORD!)))

THAT is the reason this Scripture is addressed to "the HEBREWS!"
And, it is appropriate for ALL who profess Christ to comprehend!

VS 1
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest,
any of you should come short of it.

HOW can one "come short" of entering the eternal rest offered through
Christ Jesus?
ONLY by never genuinely repenting and surrendering to Jesus as Master of his/her life!

Like many English words, the Greek word for "fear" has many meanings.
It is the word phobeo from which we get our word phobia.
It can mean excessive fear of an object or situation, and,
can also mean to have genuine reverence for something or someone.

The word "rest" can mean to sit down, lie down or even to have peace.

Now, put those together and we see that a genuinely saved person can have
A) rest NOW...knowing Rom. 8:28;
B) will have rest eternally when abiding with Christ forever.

That rest is GIVEN by the Lord; and, we must be "ENTERING INTO", it!

Let me just say this, in consideration of repetition.
The ONLY way a person can "come short" of BOTH meanings of that
"rest" is if they are not fully committed to living life Jesus' way!
Remember, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me!"
(John 14:6)

VS 2
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not
profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Now, the Scripture is returning to the thought of those who perished in the wilderness.
The rest God offered was of NO profit to them because of ther UNfaith!
They did NOT believe God could accomplish what He PROMISED!

BUT....

VS 3
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath,
if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

If we do "enter into" God's "rest" completely surrendering our lives to
live as Jesus; THEN, we have entered "the works ...finished from the foundation
of the world."!!

When we surrender to Jesus, we are FREED from the thought of salvation by WORKS!!
We ENTER into the belief that God CAN and WILL deliver what He PROMISED!!

So MY works cannot produce faith, only my SURRENDER can!

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the
seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was
first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

On the sixth day of creation, God created man. (Gen. 1:26)
And, he took "rest" on the seventh day. (Gen. 2:2)
In Gen. 3, we see that man sinned.
And, one can surely say, "God has NOT rested SINCE!"
For, He has ALWAYS been about the HOLY WORK of redemption for mankind!

God STARTED that work of redemption BEFORE He created ANYTHING!!
For His PLAN was made KNOWING that man would sin, and PREPARING for
forgiveness, redemption and eternal LIFE.
THAT is why the Bible says Jesus is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world."

God had STARTED his work and ceased from His work of creation.
But, the word "created" in Gen. 1:1 refers to the fact of GOD,
performing an act....man CANNOT create!

Since the word refers to an act of God, it refers to eternal action, because
God IS eternal!
Thus we see in Ps. 51:10, "CREATE in me a clean heart, O God; and renew
a right spirit within me."
God is STILL creating people, and RECREATING people!!
Ps. 102:18 says, "This shall be written for generations to come: and the
PEOPLE which shall be CREATED shall praise the LORD!"

God NEVER ceases to work IN His creation to create more people and to bring them to
repentance and salvation!

The SON of God, the visible image of God, the LOGOS (word) of God had
made a commitment to offer HIMSELF for man's sin EVEN BEFORE He
created the heavens and the earth!!!

SO, God DOES have a plan for ANYONE's redemption!
And, He CAN DELIVER what He promises!!

Before I go farther, let me ask you who are reading,
"Have YOU fully committed to living YOUR LIFE for Jesus!
EVEN THOUGH you may be harassed, or persecuted?

VSS 7-9
7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said,
To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

Again, we have the quote from Ps. 95:8, "...harden NOT your hearts."
It was SIN when the Israelites refused to enter the promised land.
So, we see that it is by the "deceitfulness of sin" that a person refuses
to believe that Jesus Christ can DELIVER eternal life!!! (See Heb. 3:13)

There is BOTH:
A) a REST of being at peace with God through surrender to Jesus; and,
B) a REST of God after death in a glorious heaven with Jesus & without sin!

VSS 10-11
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as
God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example
of unbelief.

Human WORKS cannot ACHIEVE salvation from sin and reconciliation with God!!
(See Eph. 2:9)
HOWEVER, once saved a person is indwelled by God's Holy Spirit, and he
BEGINS WORKING ("labour") to CONTINUE in what God has GIVEN!

This "rest" which a Christian has now is PEACE in KNOWING Christ
WILL DELIVER that eternal rest!
Yet, the truly saved person, has a "rest" which remains to be SEEN!

I love that ole song:
"We'll work, till Jesus comes; we'll work!"

Heaven is a place where we will CEASE from the labour of REMAINING in Christ;
for we will be THERE, and NEVER leave!!

WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE!!
FREE from sickness, sorrow, persecution, back-biting, gossip and TAXES!!

So, let us who have surrendered to Christ CONTINUE in the WORK of BELIEVING
He WILL DELIVER that day!
Labor in that work DAILY!

VS 12
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

WOW!!!
WHAT a THOUGHT!

God's Word is:
A) QUICK - ALIVE;
B) POWERFUL -- accomplishing HIS bidding;
C) PIERCING...DIVIDING -- it DIGS into the HEART of a person, and
D) DISCERNER -- understands the realness of the "thoughts and intents of the heart."

God's Word, spoken or read, will make a person REALIZE whether he/she is RIGHT
with God or NOT!
HEED the WORD!
LEARN the WORD!
SPEAK the WORD!

((One day, I was playing golf and a man came asking to join me.
Of course I said yes.
Then, on the next tee, he hit the ball long down the middle.
He said loudly, "Allah shall destroy all infidels."
I said, rather gently, "Jesus will accept and save ANY infidel."
He turned and said, "Muhammed is THE prophet."
I responded with a smile, "Muhommed is DEAD, and I can show you his grave;
But JESUS is ALIVE and RULER of all eternity!"
He left my company!))

God's WORD is POWERFUL!

VS 13
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

EVERYTHING ANYONE does is FULLY KNOWN by God!!
He knows our thoughts, feelings and plans.
We are "naked" before Him physically and spiritually!
We are STRIPPED before the eyes of God!

He know ALL about us from conception to death!

God is the ONE "with Whom we HAVE to DO!"

God's judgment will be JUST!
He is pure, holy and will NOT be swayed by man's hypocrisy!
He KNOW our REAL INTENT!

VS 14
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Those who have believed Jesus have a HIGH PRIEST!
This is a reference to the High Priest who spiritually presided over Israel.

That High priest offered sacrifices TO God FOR the people.
He also prayed TO God for the people!

JESUS is the HIGH PRIEST of ALL mankind!
He lived, died and was resurrected.
He is "passed into the heavens" BECAUSE He is the "SON of God!"

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus was NOT "touched" by the same "infirmities" of our sin!
For, He was tempted EVERY bit as much as we.....but NEVER sinned.

SO.....

Vs 16
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need.

THEREFORE....what is it THERE FOR?
To let us know that we can come surely to Jesus.
Because He IS "the throne" of God's "grace!"

THERE, at His feet, we can find "MERCY" to forgive our sin.
THERE, we cand find GRACE that will ALWAYS help us!

In other words:
"If we confess our sin, He is FAITHFUL and JUST to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness."(1John 1:9)

So, this chapter states, you CAN have peace with God TODAY.
And, you CAN have eternal rest with God!

The only matter is: DO NOT have UNbelief that He can and will ACCOMPLISH
those two things for you!!